The United States Quidditch League
by AZScorpions24
Summary: A brief (kinda) history of the United States Quidditch League...cause I guarantee J.K. Rowling won't write one.


I can actually say this time that I own some things! Yay! In fact, most of what you're about to read is my invention. Minus a couple of teams mentioned in Quidditch Through the Ages.

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The United States Quidditch League

By Scott Jewett

Ever since Abraham Peasegood suffered a lucky mishap with his wand and a Quaffle, Quidditch has taken a back seat to the immense popularity of Quodpot in North and South America. In recent years, however, public interest in the sport, particularly in the United States, has grown.

There are written accounts of Quidditch being played in America, or at least what would become American territory, as early as 1795. By the mid-1800's, there were approximately five hundred Quidditch teams in America, representing both magical and Muggle cities and settlements. During the Civil War, the decree of the American Magical Congress that all wizards stay out of Muggle affairs shut down Quidditch on the eastern portion of the country temporarily. (There were no wizards who agreed with the Confederate view of slavery; they were well educated in African wizards and their skills in alchemy and astronomy.) 

After the War between the States, Quidditch of course started up again all across the country. It was around this time (according to old documents on display in the American Quidditch Museum in Hawk's Nest, Wisconsin) that talk started about the formation of a national Quidditch league.

The earliest known Quidditch league was the AQA, or American Quidditch Association. Founded in 1869, the AQA was formed with twelve currently existing teams, a mix of mostly magical settlements and some major Muggle cities. They played ten games a season, with the two teams with the best win/loss record playing for the championship. The AQA lasted for roughly four years, before waning popularity and a severe lack of funds closed it down.

In 1873, not long after the end of the AQA, another league sprung up that has persevered to this day: the United States Quidditch League. The man behind its creation was R.J. Stone, a wizarding millionaire.

R.J. Stone was well known among the magical community as a notorious prankster and a maniacal Quidditch fan. There were rumors that he had utilized both characteristics during the Civil War. Being a native of Massachusetts, he had obviously been distraught at the lack of Quidditch during the war, and had endeavored to end it fast. As the legend went, he had Apparated to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and used various charms and spells to confuse the Confederate army, and turned the tide of the war in favor of the Union army.

There was never any proof that Stone had done anything, but it bolstered his reputation as a prankster considerably. Eight years later, in 1873, people were still talking about it as if it were yesterday. So when Stone announced to the magical community that he would be starting a new professional Quidditch league, in the wake of the collapse of the AQA, there were a lot of people who didn't take him seriously. An article from the Cedar Rapids _Scroll_ explains:

"_A great roar went up at those words. Stone tried vainly to speak over the laughter, but no one was listening. He tried yelling louder and louder. "I'm serious! This is a fresh start for American Quidditch!" When no one listened, he drew his wand and Transfigured one of the laughing reporters into a toad. After that, the crowd quieted down and listened._"

-Cedar Rapids _Scroll_, Nov.3, 1873

Stone explained the new league. The twenty best teams in the country had been selected to join. They were divided into Eastern and Western conferences, and each conference had a Northern and Southern division. Each team would play one hundred games from November to May, and their opponents would be decided randomly. Unlike the AQA, the winner of each division would be decided by total points scored, and not the win/loss record. The four division winners would play against each other, and the two winners of those matches would play for the American Cup. Stone also had two more rules. First of all, every player would be paid the same amount per season. Second, there would be no trading of players. He cited the New York Colonials, the famous Quodpot team that had won the Quodpot Championship Cup thirty-seven times since the league was created in 1790...mainly by buying the most talented players away from poorer teams. There weren't many people who thought the last two rules were a good idea, but as Stone put it, "I'm the one who created this league, not you!"

The USQL's first game took place on May 2, 1874. Almost no one noticed. In fact, the entire season came and went with almost no press or public interest. Undaunted, Stone kept going. The lack of public interest continued for three more years, until Stone dropped a bombshell on the magical world.

Jack O'Riley was the star of the Colonials. He had led them to six consecutive Cup championships in the 1860's, and most Quodpot experts predicted he'd lead them to many more. He was the most recognized athlete in American magical society. No one expected the move he'd make...in December 1876, he joined the Fitchburg Finches, the last-place Quidditch team of that year! Everyone agreed he'd lost his mind...or that Stone had lost it for him, a la the Imperius Curse. Stone maintained until his death that O'Riley had simply wanted a better challenge. Whatever challenge he'd been looking for, he certainly got it. The Fitchburg Finches rebounded from a last-place season to win the American Quidditch Cup, and a great deal of Quodpot fans switched their allegiances.

Bolstered by the performance of O'Riley and a legion of new fans, the USQL survived. Clever business practices, supported by some of the most amazing games in Quidditch history, have helped the League and the sport survive to this day.

As previously mentioned, the USQL consists of twenty teams. What follows is a brief history of those teams.

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Eastern Conference

Boston Giants

This team was founded in 1835. The Giants wear dark blue robes with a red capital B on the back. They have won the Cup six times, including a thrilling two-day match culminating in a win over their longtime rivals, the New York Bombers, in 1945. The Giants' more famous players include Chaser Will Carlson (died 1984), who set an all-time single season scoring record in 1902, and Keeper Roman Martin, who captained America at a recent World Cup.

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Chicago Cyclones

The Cyclones have won the Cup six times over the years, with the help of their legendary Beating strategy ("Hit first, hard, and fast!"). Seeker Bobby O'Riley, the son of Jack, joined the team in 1910 and played for them for sixty years, resulting in three of their six Cup championships (1923, 1940, 1970). Chaser Kristen Bruno played for America at the most recent World Cup. The Cyclones were founded in 1860 and wear black robes with a yellow cyclone on the front.

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Fitchburg Finches

America's most famous (and oldest) team, the Fitchburg Finches, were founded in 1795 in Fitchburg, an all-magical settlement in Massachusetts. Their traditional white robes with the orange F on the front are well-known, as is their most famous player. Seeker Maximus Brankovitch III captained America at two of the last three World Cups, and led the team to three of their seven Cup championships.

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Florida Fireballs

The Fireballs wear white robes with multiple fireballs on them. Created in 1839, they have won six Cup championships, including a three-day match in near-hurricane conditions against the Los Angeles United in 1875. Chaser Megan O'Reilly represented America in the most recent World Cup.

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Gettysburg Ghosts

The Ghosts of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, were created in 1863. (The team AND the ghosts themselves.) No one knows who decided to create a Quidditch team near the sight of a horrible bloody battleground, and no one in charge cared to explain. The Ghosts wear light blue robes with a gray ghost on the back, and have won the Cup five times.

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Louisiana Lightning

The Lightning were established in 1861. They wear black robes with two crossed yellow lightning bolts on the back. Five time Cup champions, the Lightning are known for their superfast Chaser attack on the Keeper, a move known as the Lightning Strike. Beaters Aaron Janus and Abagail Hinsman helped the Lightning win their second Cup championship in 1900, after a month-long match against the Ghosts.

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New York Bombers

"BOMB THAT KEEPER!" is the popular war cry of the Bombers' fans, especially when they play their longtime rivals, the Boston Giants. The Bombers (established 1804) have won the Cup six times, including the very first championship in 1874 that no one really cared about. They wear orange robes with a black bomb on the chest. Chaser Cadia Robertson recently played for America at the most recent World Cup.

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Richmond Rebels

In 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, this team was created in Richmond, Virginia. The Rebels wear pink robes with two dark green R's back to back on the back. Chaser Ryan Woods helped lead the Rebels to their five Cup championships in the 1930's, and played for America near the end of his career in the 80's.

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Sweetwater, TX All-Stars

The All-Stars of Sweetwater (founded 1818) wear red robes covered in golden stars. They have won the Cup six times, and recently achieved international acclaim by beating the top French team, the Quiberon Quafflepunchers, in 1993 after a five-day match. A diehard group of female All-Stars fans, known as the "All-Star Sweethearts", have begun a tradition of showering the Quidditch pitch with falling red and gold stars after a Sweetwater win. Keeper Ronnie Jones played for America at the most recent World Cup.

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Washington D.C. Wandsmen

The Wandsmen were originally created as the private security force of the president of the American Magical Congress in 1812. However, as their numbers grew over the years, many of them decided that they could have more fun as athletes than as bodyguards. They simply turned their official uniform of a purple robe with two white crossed wands on the chest into their team uniform and logo. Besides their six Cup victories, the Wandsmen hold the American record for fastest Snitch catch (Seeker Bryan Cayia, seven seconds, vs. San Diego Spiders, American Cup 1918).

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Western Conference

Arizona Scorpions

Since their founding in 1820, the Scorpions have been a phenomenal team. An eye for talent combined with rigorous training practices in the open desert have led to twelve American Cups, making them the winningest team in American Quidditch. The Scorpions wear red robes with a black scorpion on the back. Their more notable players include Beater Peggi Jewett, who led the team to five consecutive Cup victories in the 1960's, and her son Scott, who captained America as Seeker in the most recent World Cup.

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Butte, MT Skymasters

The Skymasters wear robes of sky blue and white with silver clouds on the white patches. Founded in 1850, their team history includes the longest match in American history (five weeks, vs. Tacoma Thunder, 1903), and Chaser Nicholas Spooner, who retired in 1997 as the all-time leading scorer after winning three of the Skymasters' six Cup championships.

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California Condors

Founded in 1849, this team was originally known as the Golddiggers. When the Gold Rush ended, they decided to switch. The Condors wear orange robes with a dark blue condor's head on the chest. In the most recent World Cup, the positions of the American Beaters were filled by their twin Beaters, Steve and Paul McNamara, who have played for the team for thirty years and helped them win four of their nine Cup championships.

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Kansas City Clabberts

Many wizards around the country suspect the Clabberts (founded 1861) of a great deal of foul play. They have won the Cup eight times, despite having what looks to be the worst offensive and defensive strategies in the game. There are rumors that the Clabberts cheat as a matter of revenge for being a team named after a very stupid and ugly magical creature. Clabberts wear black and white robes with a yellow clabbert's head on the white patch over the left side of the chest.

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Los Angeles United

"UNITED WE FIGHT!" is the rallying cry of Los Angeles' loyal fans. The United, founded in 1860, wear blue and white horizontal striped robes with UNITED written across their back in black letters. The United have won six Cup championships, but they have been scattered over the history of the league, and as such haven't produced any discernibly talented players.

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Oakland Overlords

The Overlords were founded in 1845. They wear green robes with a silver O on the back. Seven time Cup champions, they are best known for their spectacular Seekers. Unfortunately, many of them are so spectacular as to catch the Snitch far too early, and therefore the team fares badly in their division due to low point scoring.

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San Diego Spiders

San Diego's Spiders (founded 1830) hold the record for consecutive Cup victories (eight, 1886-1894), but have not won the Cup since then. Still, their dedicated fans hope for a comeback, and in the interval delight in the many talented players produced. Sara MacDonald (Keeper 1892-1947) helped bring the Spiders to three American Cups during her career. Her son Malcolm is the team's current Seeker. The Spiders wear purple robes with a green spider on the chest.

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San Jose Storm

The San Jose Storm had great success in their inaugural year of 1873, and very narrowly avoided disbanding by joining the USQL. Chasers Julius Jones and Bob Diamond, the "Magic Twins", led the storm to four of their six Cup victories. Storm robes are gray with a black lightning bolt on the back.

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Seattle Slammers

The Slammers have produced some of the best players around, possibly due to their many days of training in different types of rain. Founded in 1820, the Slammers wear silver robes with a red S on the chest. They have won five Cup championships, the most recent in 1992 under the leadership of Seeker Allan Goldman.

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Tacoma Thunder

The Thunder have won five Cup championships since they were founded in 1822. Led by Keeper Devon Smith (died 1973), the Thunder won three straight championships in the 1950's. They wear dark red robes with a black T on the chest.

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(A/N: I would just like to say a few things. One, if you would like to write a story about one of my teams, you are more than welcome. That's why I did all this. Two, if you come across a continuity error up there somewhere, please give me a break. You wouldn't believe how long I spent writing this. Three, if you think my teams suck and you want to make your own, let me know. Maybe we can work together somehow. Ok, that's all I've got. REVIEW PLEASE!)


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